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OCR Page 1 of 51MORTON KONDRACKE
ness in social engineering.
honeymoon on the Hill ends
Mrs. Rivlin argued that state gov-
ernments, once backward and reac-
tionary, have become better able
than the federal government to
he Clinton White House
T
seems totally confused
Leapfrog opportunity
manage welfare, job-training, edu-
cation, housing and other social
about whether its strategy
programs. She advocated cutting
toward victorious Republi-
those programs from the federal
cans should be to (1) fight, (2) coop-
ton health care proposal and
anti-crime bill when Mr. Clinton
thereby lowering the fed-
erate, (3) wait or (4) leapfrog. The
opposed successful initiatives such
was inclined toward a weak one,
eral deficit - and creating a
right answer should be (5) all of the
as the North American Free Trade
and Ms. Kamarck, on the staff of
"shared" tax to help the states bear
above, with emphasis on (4).
Agreement.
Vice President Al Gore, managed
their new responsibilities.
President Clinton obviously
Those deserving promotion
REGO, the reinventing-government
The forthcoming Kerrey-Dan-
should fight the effort of Sen. Jesse
include "new Democrat" White
initiative.
forth Commission report on enti-
Helms, North Carolina Republican,
House aides Bill Galston, Bruce
Mr. Shapiro is the author of a
tlements will give the administra-
to torpedo the GATT world trade
Reed and Elaine Kamarck, who
"cut and invest" budget proposal
tion a chance to promote ideas to
agreement. He should cooperate
were relegated to second-tier poli-
involving deep reductions in subsi-
keep Social Security solvent into
on such initiatives as the line-item
cy jobs in 1993. The president also
dies for agriculture, energy, and
the next century, erasing the real-
veto, modest health care reform
needs to hire - or at least consult
other industries in order to fund
istic fear of baby-boomers and
and campaign finance reform. He
frequently - top people at the
education, infrastructure and sci-
young people that the system won't
can wait as Republicans reveal
Democratic Leadership Council
ence projects that will return long-
support them in old age.
themselves as the party of the rich
and its think tank, the Progressive
run economic benefits.
Evidence of confusion about
by cutting taxes for wealthy old
Policy Institute.
The DLC also is working on a
which tack the administration
people even as they kick illegiti-
DLC President Al From has been
proposal to replace the federal
ought to take toward Republicans is
mate children off welfare.
only intermittently consulted by
income tax with a tax on consump-
evident in the mixed noises coming
But major opportunities exist for
Mr. Clinton - despite the fact Mr.
tion the difference between what
out of the White House.
Mr. Clinton to jump over Republi-
Clinton used the DLC as an idea
a person earns and what he or she
Mr. Clinton and White Ho
cans in the area of reform by
factory during the leadup to his
saves or invests. Incoming House
Chief of Staff Leon Panetta obvi-
proposing visionary new depar-
1992 campaign. PPI Vice Presi-
Ways and Means Committee Chair-
ously are trying to put on a concil-
tures for the federal government.
dents Rob Shapiro and Paula Stern
man Bill Archer, Texas Republican,
iatory face, even to the extent that
Examples include a consumption-
were denied jobs altogether, and
indicates he favors consumption
Mr. Clinton infuriated liberals by
1
1 tax system, transfer of feder-
PPI President Will Marshall was
taxes, but even his staff isn't sure
saying he sympathizes with
al social programs to state and local
never asked.
whether he means the DLC-style
Republican hopes to get voluntary
government, and measures to guar-
In the first two years of the
approach or a national sales tax.
prayer back in the schools. If Mr.
antee the Social Security system for
administration, DLC veteran Mr.
Decentralization of government
Clinton really believes that, he
baby-boomers and Generation X.
Galston spurred Mr. Clinton to
will be a major theme of the DLC
should have said so a long time ago,
Leapfrogging, however, requires
force liberals on the House Educa-
agenda for the next few years. It was
perhaps ahead of his drive to
recasting the White House staff by
tion and Labor Committee to back
also the key recommendation of a
secure the right of gays to serve in
promoting or hiring innovative
off from converting Mr. Clinton's
1992 book by Budget Director Alice
the military.
"new Democrat" policy and politi-
Goals 2000 education plan into a
Rivlin, "Reviving the American
Meantime, though, Mrs. Rivlin
cal advisers, and replacing "old
union-dominated pork-barrel pro-
Dream," which reportedly offended
has gotten into a fight with the GOP
Democrats" who promoted disas-
ject.
Mr. Clinton at the time because it
over budget-writing philosophy,
trous policies such as the 1994 Clin-
Mr. Reed pushed for a strong
argued against federal aggressive-
and a group of administration lib-
erals is urging aggressive expan-
sion of federal social programs and
populist attacks on GOP initiatives.
A turning point for Ukraine?
First lady Hillary Rodham Clin-
ton showed the most confusion by
saying in Asia that she didn't under-
I took some prodding by American-Ukrainian
reverse this abject decline through privatization and
stand what voters were saying in
groups to persuade the White House to accord
the lifting of price controls falls to a former com-
the November elections and that
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma a proper
munist, but Mr. Kuchma seems to mean what he
she thought the administration
state visit.
says. This summer, he obtained the pledge for $4 bil-
should just forge ahead with its
Mr. Kuchma only wanted what Washington recent-
lion in Western aid conditioned on demonstrable
1993-94 agenda.
ly accorded Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Since
proof that reforms are under way.
Yet another school of thought in
Ukraine is, after Russia, the most important of the
the White House holds that Mr.
The United States and Europe have much to gain
pieces of the post-Soviet jigsaw-puzzle and one that
by helping ensure the survival of an independent
Clinton truly is an unappreciated
"new Democrat" and that he should
holds the key to the future of security arrangements
Ukraine, most significantly that the buffer between
just keep his message "concise and
in Europe, this seems a most reasonable request.
Russia and West is moved significantly in the eastward
precise" and avoid distractions in
Ukraine is also a country the size of France and a
direction. As the political course of Russia grows more
order to triumph in the end.
nuclear power. That there was ever any doubt that
uncertain, U.S. support for the other newly indepen-
All this flies in the face of a key
Mr. Kuchma would receive the status symbol of an
dent states will be ever more important.
fact. According to one reliable Elec-
official U.S. state visit is attributable the reluctance
The performance of Russian foreign minister
tion Day poll, 52 percent of voters
of the Clinton administration to do anything that
Andrei Kozyrev in Winnipeg, Manitoba, last month
consider Mr. Clinton a "liberal," 30
might antagonize the Russian government.
during the G-7 meeting ought to be enough to raise
percent consider him a "moder-
Fortunately, good sense prevailed, and the Ukrain-
some warning flags. Arriving unannounced and
ate," and 6.2 percent a "conserva-
ian president will begin his two-day visit to Wash-
indeed uninvited, Mr. Kozyrev insisted on speaking
tive," while 43 percent of voters
ington tomorrow. Mr. Kuchma will bear some good
and told the astounded assembly that Russia
consider themselves "conserva-
news to the American government, the vote in favor
demanded its share of foreign aid given to Ukraine
tive," 33 percent, "moderate," and
of joining the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by the
because of Ukraine's indebtedness to Russia to the
only 16 percent "liberal."
Ukrainian parliament taken on Wednesday. And Mr.
tune of $2.7 billion. Considering that Russia itself has
Kuchma will also bring testimony about his own gov-
received considerable relief for its foreign debts in
Morton Kondracke is a senior
ernment's determination to undertake the essential
the West over the past few years, that took quite a bit
editor for Roll Call and is a nation-
economic reforms that were never even begun under
of nerve.
ally syndicated columnist.
his predecessor Leonid Kravchuk. Three years ago,
A U.S. policy that supports Ukraine, and the other
when the Soviet Union broke up, Ukraine held to the
Soviet successor states, in no way represents a threat
third-way theory, that is the third way between cap-
to Russia politically, financially or otherwise. Mr.
italism and socialism, and the result has been pre-
Yeltsin himself spearheaded the attack on the mam-
dictably disastrous. This country is now a complete
moth Soviet empire in the name of self-determina-
economic basket case. Last year, inflation reached
tion for its various nations. For Russia itself to devel-
8,940 percent and 60 percent to 80 percent of the pop-
op in a benevolent direction, that self-determination
ulation lives in poverty. It is ironic that the task to
will have to remain the guiding principle.
The Washington Times MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1994
121
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